Cordarrelle Patterson declares for draft

[LouPhinFan]

Couple of drops in there on deep over the shoulder type passes that are a little concerning. Not everyone is good at those. You'd hate to be one of those that can't do that well. But other stuff, I mean even on totally non-descript plays where he gains like 5 yards, he's doing something that make your eyelids pop.

One of my favorites is when he's on a jet sweep I think against South Carolina and the corner gets tied up with the receiver on the perimeter and gets in his way. He gets to the corner, turns up the field while leaping over the two players and he cleared seriously no less than 16-17 feet through the air. This wasn't a track and field long jump setting (where his best is 22 feet), this is a football field with the football in his hands and bodies on the ground in front of him, and he has to turn a corner before doing this and he still clears like 16 feet in the air if not more. He gets hit right as he comes down but he stays up for a bit and eventually gets gang tackled.

CK - Any word on why he went JUCO before coming to Knoxville? His agility in the open field for a guy his size is quite stunning. But on the flip side, that over the shoulder drop he had against GA in the video was as bad as bad can get. But the snag on the slant against Vandy shows he doesn't have bad hands at all. Perhaps a concentration thing?

 

[SaskFinFan]

Ok you have me sold if you can tell me that those dropped long balls can be coached out of him and he interviews well, as in not being a headcase. He seems like the type of player we need. Does what the team requires of him and puts his body on the line.

 

[SF Dolphin Fan]

Liked almost everything I saw there, he is lot more physical than I initially thought too.

The one thing that stands out, he doesn't catch one deep pass in all those games. What's up with that?

Part of the reason could be having Justin Hunter on the other side. He's one of the best in the college ranks in going up and getting those jump balls deep.

 

[ckparrothead]

CK - Any word on why he went JUCO before coming to Knoxville? His agility in the open field for a guy his size is quite stunning. But on the flip side, that over the shoulder drop he had against GA in the video was as bad as bad can get. But the snag on the slant against Vandy shows he doesn't have bad hands at all. Perhaps a concentration thing?

Everyone drops balls every now and again. IF it's systemic and not random, I'm guessing he is just inconsistent with over the shoulder catches. Guys with "good" hands can still be bad at certain kinds of catches, like over the shoulder or low catches dug out of the turf. They can also work on and get better at those kinds of catches.

He made a deep vertical catch against David Amerson in his first game of the year. Had another one about 25 yards over the shoulder against Robert Lester of Alabama. He an do it.

 

[ckparrothead]

Honestly a lot more worried about his ability to read corner and especially safety leverage at full speed during his routes, making the adjustments he will need to make in the pros to be a trusted receiver target. That is my biggest concern. Not hands.

 

[LouPhinFan]

Honestly a lot more worried about his ability to read corner and especially safety leverage at full speed during his routes, making the adjustments he will need to make in the pros to be a trusted receiver target. That is my biggest concern. Not hands.

If he picked up the TN playbook so quickly, it sounds like he's coachable and a smart kid. I bet he could learn that skill.

 

[ckparrothead]

If he picked up the TN playbook so quickly, it sounds like he's coachable and a smart kid. I bet he could learn that skill.

"Sounds like" being the operant term. It's a good sign that he could play so many roles in the offense and special teams even though it was his first year in Tennessee and he arrived a month later than everyone else which made him behind. But then, he's still not great (or even good) with that stuff yet and until he is, it's a risk. Also the roles he played seemed kind of designed just to get the ball in his hands in the easiest way possible and let him run with it. So who knows. It's a chance I'd take.

 

[Geforce]

CK - Any word on why he went JUCO before coming to Knoxville? His agility in the open field for a guy his size is quite stunning. But on the flip side, that over the shoulder drop he had against GA in the video was as bad as bad can get. But the snag on the slant against Vandy shows he doesn't have bad hands at all. Perhaps a concentration thing?

The same reason many players go to JUCO, he didn't qualify academically.
http://espn.go.com/college-sports/r...darrelle-patterson-signs-tennessee-volunteers

It was tough, at first, for Patterson to accept going to a junior college after not qualifying academically out of high school. He admitted that he didn't care about his grades during his freshman and sophomore year, and it left him in a tough predicament.

He wanted to go straight from high school to a top-notch program, but the detour to Hutchinson has helped him grow as a person, he said.

"I thought junior college would be a waste of time," Patterson said. "It has been a great thing for me to come here and learn.

"Back in high school, I didn't have everything I needed. I didn't respect people how I should. The coaches here have taught me respect and how to do things the right way."

 

[Geforce]

Honestly a lot more worried about his ability to read corner and especially safety leverage at full speed during his routes, making the adjustments he will need to make in the pros to be a trusted receiver target. That is my biggest concern. Not hands.

I think this is why back in October Todd McShay thought Patterson should return to Tennessee for his senior year.

Though he was a relative unknown for two years while in junior college, Patterson has dazzled this season with touchdowns rushing, receiving and returning kicks. The Vols lined him up at tailback against Mississippi State for a 15-yard gain on a simple toss play. As a polished wideout, though, Patterson has a ways to go.

"Cordarrelle Patterson is probably more naturally talented than Hunter, which is saying a lot," McShay said. "You're talking about maybe the most -- just in terms of raw tools, he may be the most talented wide receiver in the country. They're handing him the ball, and why not?

"He's so talented in the open field carrying the ball. He's smooth. When you watch him, for such a big guy, he can make cuts and weave in and out of traffic. I think he's playing 101 level wide receiver in terms of running routes and understanding coverages. He has a lot to learn in that regard. Who knows if he's coming back, too."

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/oct/20/analyst-vols-trio-stay-at-ut-tennessee-vols/